He smiled at the statement because of the children the floor would have to be strong, probably true. He watched as she stepped across the framework of the unfinished foundation, the way she crossed her arms, closed her eyes as if she was seeing the house completed, then he saw her tears which put a lump in his throat.
"It's amazing...it's perfect," she murmured, "like a dream."
"Ain't no dream Em, it's our house, just ain't done yet. Will be, but not for a bit." He said. "So," he began to change the subject, "this here dance they're plannin', well, you too, I 'spose we're goin'?"
"Of course we're going to the dance." She stepped up to him and took his hand, then started to move in a slow waltz. "I'm making some of the refreshments, but once those are set up, I'll be free for the evening, so we can dance to our hearts' content."
As they moved to the silence of the mountain, she looked up at Barnabas with a sort of goofy grin, then stopped. "You don't have to work, do you? Even if you do, we can sneak in a dance, right?" Of course, as law, he was always ready to act, but there was a chance he might be on patrol and have to wander the town, in which case, she'd join him if he'd let her.
“Well you hadn’t said anything so I was just wondering. Meant to ask earlier, but I plumb forgot. Other things been on my mind.” Barnabas siad. “I’ll be wearin’ my badge, an’ if there’s any trouble, well Speed an’ me are bound to have to break it up. Might have ta haul ‘em off to the hoosgow, so I ‘spose yeah, I’ll be workin’ ifin’ there’s work to be done. But we’ll still have us a time.”
Dancing and such wasn’t his strong suit though he liked to try. Some of the affairs in Texas tended to go on for days, though he doubted this one would be anything like those shindigs. He actually was looking forward to this one. It had been sometime since he’d been to a dance. In Virginia City it had all been very formal, especially after Piper built his opera house. This would be less formal and far more fun.
"Oh, well, if you and Speed are both going to be working, I suppose I'll just have to bring a rolling pin." Grinning, she looked up at him. "If anyone dares to ruin my night, I'll bash them over the head!"
She laughed, although there was enough seriousness behind it to make him think that she just might do something like that!
"I wasn't worried that you hadn't asked, I know you intended to." Her grin widened as she patted this cheek. "Let me believe that, and we'll be happy. Honestly, though, any chance I have to show you off is fine by me. And the dancing will be good practice for the wedding...it's not that far off, you know." She frowned. "No badges that day."
“Now, I am Speeds Deputy, so I really hate to disappoint you, but I’ll have ta be wearing my badge. It’ll help keep folks in line with us there, unlike that fall fiasco where the fight broke out.” He said, hoping his duty was not going to spoil their time at the dance. “It’s not like we’ll be wearing gun belts, though I’ll have a small revolver tucked away, just in case.”
"An’, I’m sorry I’d not asked earlier, been a might busy with things, such as the house. Then too, keepin’ an ear open about the Town Council and Miss Steelgrave, but nothin’ so far.”
"I meant at our wedding," she corrected with a chuckle, "if you wear your badge, I'm going to man the kitchen!" Fondly, she kissed his cheek, then asked, "How are those plans coming? You know, if the council won't approve the use of the land, we have plenty here, at least for an orphanage."
Might not be the best idea, but she had no hesitation in taking on children who needed help. "I just can't imagine anyone fighting that simply because Leah Steelegrave was involved. It makes no sense."
He smiled wide, "No Ma'am, no badge, no guns, jest you'n me gettin' hitched with a few of our favorite folks in attendance." He promised.
"This here's a town matter, an' it's an election year. Can't hardly see why anyone'd fight either the hospital or the orphanage. Town's got itself plenty o land. Just ain't no reason for it. Oh fear of the Steelgraves fer shore, but Em, Leah Steelgrave's likely the least of their worries." He emphasized. "Big fish in a little pond wantin' to toss their weight around, show folks who's runnin' this burgh!"
One thing was certain, Pronto Pike had little use for politicking or politicians. "A body hands 'em the deeds for the right 'a ways, meanin' she delivered the railroad to the town an' they wanna take credit for it an' give her all the grief they can over the hospital an' orphanage." His anger was beginning to rise up. At that point it seemed best for him to shut up before he said something he would regret.
"It's amazing, and alarming...to think that reasonable men would try to stop something that is a benefit to the community for something so trite!" Emeline was indignant, and for good reason! "I might just run for city council come the next election," she declared, "Maybe it's about time they had some new blood!"
She wasn't one to get involved in local politics, she didn't have the time, didn't think she had the forceful personality that it would take, but if they were going to be so petty as to turn down a hospital and orphanage because they didn't like the name of the woman advocating for it.
Letting out a breath, she leaned against Barnabas, her head resting on his chest. "It'll be right, I have to believe that good will prevail, even if that is naive." She kept to herself the fears of Barnabas potentially having to face off against Steelegrave's thugs. For an instant, she wondered if she could just convince him to stay out here and concentrate on the house, where he'd be safe, but she knew she couldn't deny him his character.
“New blood? You’ll play hob with that’un, fer dang sure. Them boys like bein’ the the big casinos in this burg, like to have their brand on everything. Ususally,” Pike was saying, his distaste plain, “a bunch of four flushers. I believe them’s who Leah Steelegrave’s dealin’ with. An you runnin’ for the town council? I doubt’d be any too healty.”
She wasn't one to get involved in local politics, she didn't have the time, didn't think she had the forceful to believe that good will prevail, even if that is naive." She kept to herself the fears of Barnabas potentially having to face off against Steelegrave's thugs. For an instant, she wondered if she could just convince him to stay out here and concentrate on the house, where he'd be safe, but she knew she couldn't deny him his character.
“Might end up bein’ trouble, but I just ain’t rightly sure what kind jest yet.” He added. “Plain as day you’d perfer I wasn’t in on this when trouble came a callin’, as it surely will.” He smiled down at her upturned face. “We just don’t know which way it’ll come from. You needn’t worry that pretty head of yours, we’ll be okay no matter who throws what at us. Ain’t like we don’t have a list of all the angles, cuz we do.”
Emmeline sighed, nodding slowly. "I know you're right, and you just have to take things as they come. And I know that there is good with the bad." She just would like a powerful lot of good before she had to deal with the bad again, just to spare her soul. Barnabas was likely the best thing that had happened to her, and she didn't want to lose him for a very long time...like, forever!
"We'll do what we have to, right? And I'll be more alert to trouble." She kept a shotgun at the cafe and carried a derringer, but she'd start carrying a handgun with her when she left town to come out here. "Kalispell will be the territory seat, and we'll bring enough civilization to make it a good place to live..." she grinned, "but not so much as to make it unlivable!"